MotoGP governing body, the FIM have confirmed the cancellation of the Dutch, German and Finnish Grands Prix from the 2020 calendar.
A season already curtailed by the ongoing Covid-19 crisis, the first 11 rounds of the championship have all been either cancelled or postponed.
On Wednesday evening, the FIM confirmed the annulment of the Dutch and Finnish rounds, followed by the cancellation of the German race held at the Sachsenring.
The 2020 MotoGP season thus becomes the first time in 71 years that a motorcycle Grand Prix at Assen in the Netherlands will not be contested.
“It is with great sadness that we announce the cancellation of these three important grands prix on the MotoGP calendar.
“The German GP is raced on a truly unique track with an incredible history, and the Kymiring is an exciting new venue set to welcome Grand Prix motorcycle racing back to Finland for the first time since 1982.
“And the iconic TT Circuit Assen had the unique honour of being the only venue to have held a round of the motorcycle racing Grand Prix World Championship every year, uninterrupted, since the Championship began in 1949.
“On behalf of Dorna I would like to thank all the fans for their understanding and patience as we wait for the situation to improve.
“We very much look forward to returning to the Sachsenring and the TT Circuit Assen in 2021, and eagerly await the Grand Prix debut of the new KymiRing next season.”
Dorna Sports CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta
For now, the season remains on hold until August at the earliest with further postponements imminent.
According to Motorsport.com, races in Italy and Spain, which make up a further four races on the calendar, are highly unlikely to go ahead. While flyaway races are almost certainly off the table.
Consequently, it may mean that a condensed 2020 season may revolve around having multiple races contested on only a small selection of circuits.
The FIM concluded their statement by acknowledging that no fully-revised calendar will be issued until the uncertainty surrounding Covid-19 abates.